2018 SESSION

A BILL to direct the Department of Historic Resources to
convene a work group to examine the Section 106 review process;
telecommunications projects.

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Patron-- LaRock

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Referred to Committee on Rules

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Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. § 1. That the Virginia
Department of Historic Resources (the Department) shall convene a stakeholder
work group to examine the process by which the Department
reviews, as required under
Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (the Act), the effects of
certain projects upon historic properties in association with Federal
Communications Commission applications. The
Department shall assess whether such
process could be made more efficient while continuing to
provide federally required notices and public input.

§ 2. The Department
shall consider best practices from other states implementing the Act and shall
focus on the federally required
review of applications for communications towers and similar infrastructure
intended to facilitate deployment of broadband Internet services in underserved
areas.

§ 3. The Department shall
invite the participation of stakeholders, including historic and cultural
preservationists and archeologists and representatives of local governments,
providers of wireless broadband service and infrastructure, and Indian tribes.

§ 4. The Department
shall report its findings and any recommendations of the work group to the
General Assembly no later than November 1, 2018.